Sugarcane growers set to demonstrate
Sugarcane Growers Association of Malawi is expected to hold demonstrations on June 21 in Lilongwe in protest of an operational illegality within the sector.
The bone of contention is the lack of a regulatory framework in the sugar industry which, according to the association’s board chairperson Robert John Dziweni, has caused numerous challenges.
In a statement yesterday titled ‘Call to Action to All Concerned Citizens: Advocating for a Regulatory Framework for the Sugar Industry in Malawi’, he said the absence of a regulatory framework has resulted in among others, exorbitant sugar prices, unprecedented lawsuits and sugar scarcity.
He decried that Malawi remains in such a position despite countries within the Southern African Development Community having laws that govern their sugar industry sector.
Said Dziweni: “The Ministry of Agriculture has been working on a draft Sugar Industry Bill for the past 10 years. National and international meetings have been held culminating in a 2023 draft Sugar Industry Bill.
“As a way of closing the consultation process, it convened a National Validation Conference on August 22 2023 where key stakeholders were given a chance to make individual submissions for consideration.”
He said submissions were made and the ministry set a September 15 2023 deadline for a final draft to be published and presented to the Ministry of Justice then to Parliament, none of which happened.
He said this is what is frustrating the association with follow-ups yielding nothing.
Dziweni further claimed that the ministry has suspiciously grown cold feet on pushing the process forward.
Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale yesterday asked to see a copy of the association’s statement before responding.
Despite sugar being the country’s third largest foreign exchange earner after tobacco and tea, Malawi has been producing it without a law to protect it.
The Sugar Industry Bill will put in place a comprehensive legal regime to regulate and control the growing and sale of sugarcane and any other sugar producing crop and the manufacturing, refining, marketing and disposal of sugar products, including by-products.
It will also establish the Malawi Sugar Industry Commission to monitor, oversee and coordinate all activities relating to the sugar industry for a fair, efficient and effective administration.
